Evolution of gaming has created the need for more advanced audio and communication solutions. During game play, a user wants a better audio experience without the need to be physically tethered to a gaming device. Moreover, serious gamers require the ability to converse with other gamers at remote locations and listen to game audio simultaneously through the use of a headset.
Typically, a gamer wishing to participate in such conversation while gaming has only a few options. First, a gamer may allow game audio to play through an external speaker, such as a television or stereo system, while a headset is used to converse with networked players. This option, however, is not practical if a gamer wants to play a game without disturbing those around him or wants to utilize headsets to listen to game audio in, for example, surround sound. Moreover, this option is not ideal for serious gamers, as it is difficult or distracting for the gamer to control the volume of the external speaker and the volume of the headset, as two controllers or other adjustment means are necessary.
One solution to the above problems is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/047,260, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,571,695, issued Oct. 29, 2013, titled “Daisy-Chained Game Audio Exchange,” incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. This application discloses a daisy-chainable game exchange, which allows a gamer to utilize his own headset to play games in surround sound. The user may physically plug the daisy-chainable game exchange into a number of audio sources including a gaming device and either an XBOX 360® controller producing a network chat stream from the XBOX LIVE® Network or another daisy-chainable game exchange to receive a local-area network chat stream. Unfortunately, the user's range of motion is restricted, as the daisy-chainable game exchange must be plugged into the gaming device.
Another solution to the above problem is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/958,462, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,491,386, issued Jul. 23, 2013, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY MIXING MULTIPLE AUDIO SIGNALS,” incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. This application discloses a system that allows a gamer to utilize a wired headset to receive game audio and network chat audio streams semi-wirelessly. The system includes a base station in physical communication with a gaming device and in wireless communication with a portable audio mixer, which in turn is placed in communication with a headset of a user via a wired cable. In “XBOX mode,” network chat is transmitted from the gaming device to a gaming device controller, which is placed in wired communication with the portable audio mixer. Game audio is transmitted via a wired connection from the gaming device to the base station and then to the portable audio mixer. In “PS3 mode,” both network chat and game audio are transmitted from the gaming device to the base station, which transmits the audio streams to a portable audio mixer. The disclosed base station is shown to employ separate, wired connections for each audio stream received from the gaming device and requires an external adapter to convert network chat to a useable format.
In contrast to gaming using a dedicated gaming console (e.g., Microsoft XBOX®, Sony PS3®, or Nintendo Wii®), in “PC gaming,” where a general use personal computing device, e.g., a laptop, desktop, tablet computer, etc. (collectively “PC”) is utilized to play video games, the network chat is typically transmitted through and controlled by a communication program that is separate from and unrelated to the video game software/program. Examples of such communication programs include Skype and other Voice Over Internet Protocol systems (VOIP), which allow players networked together through the Internet or a closed network (e.g., a wide area network (WAN), or a local area network (LAN)) to communicate. Thus, when a user plays a video game on a PC, the video game software outputs the video game audio stream including music, sound effects, and the like associated with the game itself, and the communication program outputs the network chat audio stream (e.g., from a teammate or opponent using the same communication program). The PC then combines the video game audio stream and the network chat audio stream in the form output by the video game software and communication program, respectively, into a single output audio stream that can then be transmitted to a headset or loudspeaker. In order to adjust the balance in the output stream between the game audio stream as compared with the network chat audio stream, the user must manually adjust the audio output settings (e.g., volume, tone, etc.) of the video game software or the communication program. Because the output signal is a single combined signal comprising both the game audio and the network chat audio streams, the balance between the game audio and network chat audio streams cannot be adjusted by the receiving device, such as a wireless headset or loudspeaker.